Dragon Roll Sushi Casserole

Photo via Kristen Farmer

2 imitation crab legs (or snow crab if you're feeling fabulous)

7 fried jumbo shrimp (fresh from butchers)

1/2 avocado sliced or diced

1/2 cucumber sliced or diced (without seeds)

1/2 carrot sliced or diced

1-2 cups of cooked rice (Japanese sushi rice works best)

1/2 cup of panko flakes

1 seaweed square (9"x9")

2 cup of panko flakes

1 egg

Eel Sauce

1/4 cup of mirin

1/4 cup of soy sauce

1/4 cup of sugar

Start to boil a cup (or two cups) of rice in a cup of water (or two if you used two cups of rice). Once it boils bring the temp. down to low. Cook covered for 15-20 mins. Check it after 15 mins to see how tender the rice is. The process will simmer off all the excess water and make lovely fluffy rice. I added 1 tbsp. of mirin to my rice for some flavor. Set it to the side for a few minutes if it isn't burning. This helps fully cook any rice that didn’t get to finish.

Now mix all your eel sauce ingredients in a sauce pan and set the temp to medium. Let it "thicken" and fully mix. It will be "watery" when it's hot. I cooked it for about 3-5 minutes.

*Important* You have to let it cool to get a "gel-like" sauce to pour over the finished casserole.

This is a good time to cook your shrimp if you didn’t buy pre-fried shrimp. 1 cup of panko flakes, 1 egg in two separate bowls. Dip shrimp in flakes, then egg, then back in the panko flakes. Fry in 1/2 cup of oil until golden brown.

Next shred up your crab legs and put them in a bowl. Cut up your cucumber and carrots. Put them to the side with the crab.

Also cut up the avocado and sprinkle a little lemon juice on the cutting board. Coat both sides of the avocado slices with the lemon juice. (The lemon juice will help preserve the look of the avocado, so they don't brown.)

Once your rice is slightly cooled, spread it out over the bottom of a casserole dish (or a big bowl, if that’s all you have). Place down your seaweed square and press it into the rice gently. (Preferably when the rice is still slightly warm, this helps soften the seaweed so its easier to slice.) Now spread out the carrots and cucumber over the seaweed evenly. Do the same with the crab. Next spread out the fried shrimp. Put the avocado slices on top of the shrimp or scatter throughout the dish. Add the remaining cup of panko flacks generously over the entire top. Drizzle the eel sauce over the panko flakes. I added some sesame seeds for a little extra flair. Cause why not!